Yesterday's quick and comfortable train ride brought us to Hangzhou, where I suddenly crumpled. Ten days of trying to sleep with a snorer as my room-mate had taken their toll. I paid the extra for a room of my own and took to my bed. This morning I felt well rested, but my head still pounded. I mooched miserably around West Lake, supposedly China's most romantic lake, much favoured by emperors and honeymooners. It is probably very lovely, but today it had all the relaxing romantic charm of Alton Towers on a bank holiday. It was, you might say, a little crowded. And noisy - bear in mind that the average tour group has a leader with a microphone/loudspeaker set, as well as about forty noisy, path-blocking followers dressed in matching hats. Oh, and the souvenir
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